Congress confident of winning Goa polls on its own

Panaji: Congress in Goa on Monday claimed
that the party can win majority in the forthcoming state
legislative assembly poll on its own, even as it believes that
coalition partners would come as an added force.

Congress spokesperson in Goa Ramakant Khalap told
reporters that the party can win over 30, out of the 40 seats,
in the March 3 polls.

"We are completely confident of winning 25 seats with
or without partners," Khalap said.

The party leader said that talks regarding the
pre-poll alliance with the NCP and Maharashtrawadi Gomantak
Party (MGP), are underway, even as MGP had earlier clarified
that it had stopped the alliance talks with Congress a long
time back.

"NCP has been a valuable partner, while MGP has been
with the party for the last five years. In these five years,
we have been together and achieved something for the state of
Goa. We are not here to shake that balance. That is why, the
pre-poll alliance with them is being considered," Khalap said.

"There is a meeting in Delhi tomorrow to finalise the
alliance with NCP," he said adding that Congress can get a
majority on its own, even though alliance would be an added
force.

Congress-NCP talks on the alliance are at an advanced
stage with the latter asking for 10 seats. MGP has already
begun talks with BJP for a pre-poll alliance, hinting to
severe ties with Congress-led government any time in the run
up for the polls.